1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner for separating and collecting dust and dirt from a cyclone stream by a centrifugal force formed by a cyclone stream in the suction air including dust and dirt flown in through the suction port of the vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of the above described cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus and a vacuum cleaner having the same is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described hereinafter.
In FIG. 1, the reference number 100 identifies a cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus, 200 is a cleaner body, and 300 is a suction brush. The reference number 10 is a cyclone body, 20 is a dirt-collecting receptacle, and 30 is a grill, elements 10, 20, 30 together comprising the cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus 100.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the cyclone body 10 has an air inlet pipe 11 and an air discharge unit 12. The air inlet pipe 11 is disposed to be connected with an air inlet port provided on one side of the cyclone body 10 and connected to an air inlet path 210 (shown in phantom) formed to be connected to a suction port (not shown) of a suction brush 300 in the cleaner body 200 when the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus is mounted in the cleaner body 200. The air discharge unit 12 is disposed to be connected with an air discharge port provided on one side of the upper surface the cyclone body 10 and connected to an air discharge path 220 (shown in phantom) formed to be connected to a motor driving chamber 310 of the suction brush 300 in the cleaner body 200 when the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus is mounted in the cleaner body 200. Therefore, the air, including dust and dirt, flows in through the suction brush 300 in a tangential direction within the cyclone body 10 through the air inlet path 210 of the cleaner body 200 and the air inlet pipe 11. Accordingly, a cyclone stream is formed in the cyclone body 10 and the clean air is discharged outside through the air discharge unit 12, the air discharge path 220 of the cleaning body 200 and the motor driving chamber 310.
The dirt-collecting receptacle 20 is removably connected to the lower part of the cyclone body 10 and collects dust and dirt separated from the air by centrifugal force created by the cyclone stream within the cyclone body 10.
The grill 30 is disposed at the beginning of the air discharge unit 12 of the cyclone body 10 and prevents the dust and dirt separated from the cyclone stream from reverse flowing back through the air discharge unit 12. The grill 30 comprises a grill body 31 and a number of paths 32 disposed on the outer circumference of the grill body 31 to be connected with the air discharge unit 12. Such general cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus has the air inlet pipe 11 and the air discharge unit 12 of the cyclone body 10 disposed in the cleaner body 200, each to be connected with the air inlet path 210 and the air discharge path 220 of the cleaner body 200 as described earlier. When the cleaner is on, the motor of the motor driving chamber 310 is driven and accordingly the suction force is generated in the suction brush 300. By this suction force, air of the surface to be cleaned, including dust and dirt, flows into the cyclone body 10 through the suction brush 300, the air inlet path 210, and the air inlet pipe 11. The flown-in air forms a cyclone stream by being induced to move in an oblique direction along the inner circumference of the cyclone body 10 and accordingly, the dust and dirt included in the air are separated by centrifugal force and are collected in the dirt-collecting receptacle 20. Then, the clean air is discharged outside through the paths 32 of the grill 30, the air discharge unit 12, and the motor driving chamber 310.
The dust flown into the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus, together with air, during the work process of the vacuum cleaner having the above mentioned cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus includes very fine dust particles. Such fine dust particles cannot be separated by the centrifugal force created by the cyclone stream inside cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus because they are too light. Therefore, the fine dust particles block the paths 32 as they are absorbed in the grill 30 when the flown-in air is discharged through the paths 32 of the grill 30. As the paths 32 are blocked by the absorbed dust particles, resistance in air permeability in that area occurs, and insufficient suction corresponding to the output of the vacuum motor is noted as well as a drop in suction efficiency.
In addition, a lot of dust particles remain absorbed in the grill 30 even after the cleaning operation is finished. Therefore, if the grill 30 is not cleaned regularly the dust collects in the paths 32 every time the cleaner is used and the suction efficiency drops significantly. As a result, the gill 30 essentially requires routine maintenance work, such as cleaning, and a considerable amount of time and trouble on the part of the user.
Moreover, as the grill 30 is connected adjacent the beginning of the air discharge unit 12 inside the cyclone body 10, it is not easy to remove it from the cyclone body 10 and, therefore, cleaning the grill becomes difficult. Also, when a user cleans the dusty grill with cloths, the user's hands become dirty due to the dust and, additionally, the dust drops onto the floor while cleaning and thus pollutes the surroundings. In order to thoroughly clean the grill 30, a considerable amount of time and trouble are required and therefore a user finds such a vacuum cleaner undesirable.